34th Anniversary of the Division of Cyprus

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34TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DIVISION OF CYPRUS -- (Extensions of Remarks - August 01, 2008)

* Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the unfortunate division of the island nation of Cyprus that began 34 years ago this July.

* On July 20, 1974, Turkey dispatched thousands of armed forces to the island of Cyprus. As a result of this action, Cyprus remains divided to this day. 43,000 Turkish troops still occupy a significant portion of the island nation, which is enough for one Turkish soldier per each Turkish Cypriot. The presence of these troops is in spite of the clear preference for a peaceful and mutually acceptable solution demonstrated by all inhabitants of Cyprus. Nonetheless, there are positive indications for the island's future.

* The willingness of both Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot leaders to pursue reunification talks is heartening. We in the U.S. Congress were pleased to see that last Friday, July 25, leaders of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities jointly announced that they have decided to start full-fledged Cyprus settlement negotiations on September 3, 2008, under the good offices mission of the U.N. Secretary-General.

* It is essential that these talks result in the reunification of Cyprus as a bicommunal and bizonal federation that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Cypriots. The removal of Turkish forces will allow this process to go forward.

* I join with other proponents of a peaceful solution on Cyprus in supporting the recent steps taken by the divided nation's leaders. However, an acceptable political solution will only be possible if the international community continues to press for more substantive reconciliatory actions in the future. While the United Nations has passed numerous resolutions condemning the division of Cyprus, Turkey continues to maintain more troops on the island than the United States has in Afghanistan. This is a clear indication that more must be done by the international community to make clear that the militarization of Cyprus is unacceptable.

* As the more than 13 million incident-free crossings of the line dividing the Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot portions of the island attest, the people of Cyprus are hungry for a peaceful reconciliation of their island. So am I. The goal of the United States and of the international community must be the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus, the institution of democratic institutions and practices there, and the peaceful resolution to this decades-old dispute in a manner that respects the human and democratic rights of all the people who call Cyprus their home.

* As we move into the 35th year since the division of Cyprus, I urge my colleagues to remember the tragic events of the past on this small island nation. At the same time, I pledge to the people of Cyprus that the United States stands with them in their quest for an expeditious and peaceful solution to the division of their home island.

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